Götaplatsen & Art Museum, Göteborg

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At the top of Kungsportsavenyn, the parade street of Gothenburg, you'll find Götaplatsen, a huge square with the statue of Poseidon in the middle. To the right of Götaplatsen is the Concert Hall where there are new concerts going on about every day.

The biggest hall (Stora salen) is among the best concert halls in the world, with an incredible acoustics.
Well, at least the home page of the Concert Hall says so. I couldn't tell if it's good or bad even if my life was in the balance... ;)

The Concert Hall was built back in 1935, but went through major restoration during the 1990s. Stora salen accomondates 1247 spectators, while the smaller hall "Stenhammarsalen" can hold 390 persons.

The lobby is huge, and there are also a lot of events held there. It's famous for its frescos by famous swedish artists.

One of the funniest things about this place is that you can hire it for a day. To host a huge party, a conference, or even a birthday party for your kids.
And if you want the famous symphony orchestra of Gothenburg is included in the deal, and play a concert for you.
I have no idea about how much it would cost to hire it, but I'm quite sure it's not anything I have in my left pocket right now...
But admit it would be fun to do!

The home page of the Symphony Orchestra and the Concert Hall is great, full of info about where and how to get tickets, the program and all the info you need for your kids next birthday party... :)

There is also a bar where you can have something to eat and drink in between the concerts. There is also a music shop where you can buy the cds from the concerts.

If you are interested in contemporary art and are in Göteborg there are quite a few small galleries close to each other. The gallery 300 m3 have quite interesting exhibitions and sometimes artist talks. They show video installations, sound art etc. It's only open Thursday-Sunday though. Look at their webpage to see what's on. Close to this gallery you also find Galleri 54 and Box.

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Götaplatsen is a public square in Gothenburg, Sweden, at the southern end of Kungsportsavenyn (The King's Gate Avenue), the city's main street. The square was inaugurated when Gothenburg held a major international industrial exhibition, 1923, celebrating the city's 300th anniversary.

The place got its name in 1914 but until 1923 it was rural country where the square is today. The square was designed by the two architects Sigfrid Ericson och Arvid Bjerke. Where the City Theatre is today was originally a big gate, which was the main entrance to the big exhibition in 1923. The gate was torn down in 1928.

Götaplatsen is Gothenburg's cultural hub, enclosed by the Gothenburg Concert Hall (were the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra resides), the Gothenburg Museum of Art, the Gothenburg City Theatre and the City Library. At the centre of the square presides the Poseidon statue by Carl Milles - the statue has become one of the symbols of the city.

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This statue is a well known siluette of Gothenburg. It is just at the top of "Avenyn", the big avenue in Gothenburg full of shops and restaurants. The statue is generally known as "Kålle med torsken", which means Carl with the cod.

The statue is made in bronz by the famous Swedish artist Carl Milles and was inaugurated in 1931. The statue is also called “The revenge by Milles”. The reason for that is that if you stand on the stairs to the Art Hall, some intimate part of the statue is abnormally big. This is said to be done deliberate by Milles when some citizens in the city wanted to censor the statue.

Galleri Box is an artist run gallery with focus on young, contemporary art. They mainly show Swedish artists but also quite a few international artists. It's in the same area as 300 m2 and Galleri 54 and when they have an exhibition it is open Tuesday-Thursday 12-15 and Saturday-Sunday 12-4 pm.

The Göteborgs Konsthall, the municipal art gallery is next door the the art museum at Götaplatsen. It shows national and international contempoary art and has 6-7 exhibitions a year. It's always free entrance and they always provide a text with an introduction to the exhibition.
There is also a very friendly staff who gladly discusses and explains more about the art as well as gives you imformation about other places where you can find contemporay art in Göteborg.

An often overlooked museum, Sweden's only pure design museum has glass, textiles and such art. Often has interesting exhibitions on arty things we take for granted around us. Amongst the permanent exhibitions is one on Chinese design, an 18th century furniture one and the museum history of design in modern times. There are also things on industrial design.

One of the most famous art museums in Sweden with several gems. The museum is housed in the huge, classical building on top of Avenyn at Götaplatsen, a well known fact in itself and completed by having the equally famous Poseidon fountain outside - see local tip. Next to it is the Art Hall with all sorts of temporary exhibitions and the Hasselblad photographic centre (since Hasselblads were originally made in Göteborg).